This invention relates to a gas safety vent device and more particularly to a device for capturing and venting gas seeping from a leaking gas line or other service pipe to above ground, thus to prevent the seeping gas from entering a building.
It is well known that gas seeping from a leaking gas line will follow the path of least resistance. Often, the path of least resistance is along the exterior of the leaking gas line itself, or even along some other building service pipe, such as a water pipe or a sewer line passing through the wall of a house or other building. Gas thereby finding its way into buildings has been known to cause disastrous explosions and fires.
The invention presents an improvement over that of Claytor U.S. Pat. No. 732,712 which issued July 7, 1903.
Other U.S. Patents that may be of interest as background information are the following:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Date Inventor(s) ______________________________________ 2,871,113 January 27, 1959 Hammers 3,338,254 August 29, 1967 Regal 3,436,197 April 1, 1969 Borst et al. 3,802,458 April 9, 1974 Wilmeth ______________________________________
The Claytor patent discloses an escape gas receiver comprising a cylindrical casing perforated at each end, and an outwardly extending flange surrounding each perforation. A gas pipe passes through the perforations and enters a building. The flange remote from the building is funnel-shaped and a packing is arranged between the flange opposite the funnel-shaped flange and the gas pipe. The small diameter of the funnel-shaped flange is greater than the outside diameter of the gas pipe, and a gas escape pipe extends upwardly from the top of the cylindrical casing. Gas passing along the exterior of the gas pipe toward the building is led into the cylindrical casing through the funnel-shaped flange and is prevented from continuing along the gas pipe by the packing, instead being diverted away from the gas pipe through the gas escape pipe.
It is an important object of the invention to provide a gas safety vent device that is an improvement over the escape gas receiver of the Claytor patent in terms of construction, cost and effectiveness of operation.
Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter.